Well packer



Nov. 29, 1938.

nmn

C. C. BROWN WELL PACKER Filed Dec. 18., 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 c. c. BROWN 2,138,569

WELL PACKER Nov. 29, 1938.

Filed Deo.' 18, 19:56

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ""ll\'=Jl=I=I'I."LP,|,|1*y

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Patented Nov. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENr orf- Fics 11 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a packer apparatus for oil wells, and more particularly has reference to the packer apparatus which is to be employed adjacent the bottom of the oil well to form seals between the various parts of the equipment at the bottom of the hole.

In the past it has been customary to run into a well hole a casing for lowering this casing to some predetermined point, such as for example a position adjacent the top of the producing formation. After thecasing has been lowered into position: the lower end is cemented in place so as to provide a seal between the casing and the wall. of the hole, and the drilling is then completed below the lower end of the casing into the producing formation. At this point there is providedY a screen and liner, the screen consisting of' lengths of pipe of a diameter sufliciently small to pass downwardly through thecasing, the pipe being o f some suitable construction having openings therethrough so as to permit the passage of uid from the well hole and yet serve as a support for kthe formation and as a screen to prevent the ingress of sand and other debris. V The liner, which is at the upper end of thisscreen, and which is ordinarily lowered into the well with the screen, is provided at a position which will lie within the lower end of thev casing with a packervelemlent adapted toseal off thespace between thelinery and the casing. By this means it will readily be seen that fluid will be forced to enter the casing only* through the screen and through the interior of the liner, and will be prevented from entering the casing through the' space between the liner and the casing.

It is also customary to employ a string of tubing extending. from the upper end of the well downwrardly and preferably into the interior of the screen itself. This is for the` purpose of better providing for the owi'ng of the well both in bringing it into production and in carrying out such later operations -as may become desirable. This string of tubing may if desired be employed for lowering the screen and liner into position and afterv the screen and liner have been positioned in the lower end of the well to cause the expansion of the packer between the liner and the lower end of the casing.

`It 'is'an object 'of this invention to provide a packer assembly which is' not only capable of forming a` seal' between the liner and the lower end of the casing, but 'which is also capable of forming a seal Vbetween the interior of the liner and the lower endof the tubing so that fluid entering 'the screen will be forced to travel to the (c1. 16s-1o) surface of the well through the tubing, and will not be permitted to enter the casing.

It isa further object of this invention to provide a packer structure ofthe type set forth in which the formation ofv the seal between the liner and the casing andthe formation of the seal between the liner and the 'tubing will take place substantially simultaneously.A

Another object is toV provide a construction of the type set forth in which the seal between V'the liner and the tubing may be readily removed without construction after the same' has been' set'in position." l

Another object is to provide a device for expanding the packings between the liner and the 1' Casing, and betweenthelinerand the tubing which'will below in cost and 'sure in its opera' tion.`

Another object of this invention is to provide a packing structure which' may be'readily re"- 0 moved'fromA the well after it hasbeen set in place therein and expanded;

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription 'taken in connection with the "accompanying drawings wherein `there is set lforth one embodiment of this invention; 'It is to be distinctly understood; how' ever, that this 'embodiment isset forth by 'way of illustration and not by way of limitation, and that 'this'invention is to be limited'in its scope only by the prior art, and by the terms of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figfl'isa vertical cross section of the lower end 'of a well hole illustrating in elevation a portion of the equipment therein, parts of the equipment being broken' away and shown'in section for purposesof illustration.

' Fig'. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but showing a. continuation of the upper portion of Fig. 1 and illustrating the packer construction in accordance'with this invention after the packings have been expanded to' form the respective seals.

Fig; 3 is'a View partlyinsection illustrating more in detail the equipment shown in Fig. 1, the same bein'gin the position it occupies prior'to the setting'of the paclers.-Y

Fig. 4 is an elevation partly in section illustrating the equipment shown in Fig. 2 before the packers have been expandedv Ato form the respective seals.

Fig. 5 is a view on a reduced scale showing a Vertical cross section of awell hole having the equipment constructed in accordance with thisv fil invention in place therein prior to the expansion of the respective packings.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to the lower portion of Fig. 3 illustrating one of the steps in the operation of setting the equipment in place in a well or in removing the same therefrom.

Fig. '7 is a View similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the manner in which the seal between the liner and the tubing may be removed after the packing forming the said seal has been expanded.

Fig. 8 is a vertical cross section of the valve mechanism employed at the lower end of the screen and illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and 6.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of said valve structure.

Fig. l0 is a View illustrating in detail one of the elements employed in removing the seal between the liner and the tubing after the packing forming the same has been expanded. p

Referring again to Figl, the numeral I designates the lower end of the casing which is ordinarily lowered into a well, and the numeral 2 that portion of the well hole which is drilled below the lower end of the casing and into the producing formation-3. It is to be noted that the portion 2 of this hole will be of whatever length may be desired in View of the nature of the formation encountered. In some instances this isr very short, and in others it may be several hundred feet in length.

Inside of the casing I there is lowered a tubingv 4 which in this instance connects at the lower end thereof to the shoe 5. The shoe 5 has blades 5 extending" downwardly from its lower end and openings I'therein through which fluid may be forced during the lowering of the device into the well, and thereafter in washing the well.

By reference to. Fig. 3 it will be seen that this shoe has a transverse guide and support 8 therein, and that it is exteriorly threaded at I I) to receive the tting II. 'This fitting I'I is providedV with an inwardly extending flange I2 forming a downwardly facing shoulder, and avalve seat member I3 is held in place between this shoulder I2 and the upper end of the shoe 5. A valve I4 is mounted below the valve seat member I3 and adapted to seat against the opening therethrough, being yieldingly urged against itsl seat by means of a spring I5 which bears against the guide and support 8. The valve'I4 is also provided with a downwardly extending valve stem I6 which slides through an opening in the guide and support 8, and is guided thereby.

At its upper end the fitting II is provided with internal threads I7 exten-ding for a considerable portion of its length and terminating in an inwardly extending flange I8. A cup I9 forming one portion of a valve combination, as will hereinafter appear, is provided with an exteriorly threaded outwardly extending liange 20 in engagement withpthe threads II and its lower end extends downwardly past the flange I8.' A second cup 2l forming the other portion of the valve assembly is provided with a downwardly extending axial pin 22 which projects through an opening in the cup member I9 and is 'secured in place by means of a nut 23 below the cup member I9. It will be vnoted that the inner wall of the cup member I9 and theouter wall of the cup member 2I are slightly tapered so as to form a taper fit between these two members when they are interengaged as illustrated. The cup member I 9 is formed' with a lateral opening 24 illustrated in Fig. 8, and the cup member 2l with a lateral opening 25 adapted when the cup members are properly positioned with respect to each other to register and form a fluid passageway.

The cup member 2l is provided with an outwardly extending flange at its upper end and with a lug 25 thereon adapted tc cooperate with a lug 2l' formed on the upper end of the cup member I5 to limit relative movement 0f these cup members with respect to each other. These lugs 25 and 2l' are preferably so positioned that they will come in contact when the openings 24 and 25 are in position at right angles to each other. In other words, the movement of the valve elements with respect to each other will be stopped when the valve is in fully closed position. For the purpose of rotating the valve element ZI with respect to the element I5, the element 2i is provided on its inner surface with lonigtudinally extending lugs 25 having tapered upper ends 3U.

Threaded into the threaded section I'Iof the member IE above the'flanges ofthe cup members I9 and 2i just referred to is a member 3| having a sleeve-like portion 32 extending upwardly therefrom and oiT-set inwardly intermediate its upper and lower ends to provide a downwardly facing inclined shoulder 35.Y A stop member 34 is inserted in an opening provided therefor in the element V."SI and the fitting II and serves to lock the element 3| in place within the fitting i i, and also. to provide a stop member fory use in connecting and disconnecting the tubing from the set shoe in a manner presently to be described.

Secured to the lower end of the tubing 4 is a special coupling member 35 having a thickened i lower portion internally threaded to receive the upper end of a fitting 35. The lower end of the coupling member 35 is-formed with a race ior an anti-friction bearing, the other race of which is formed on the upper edge of a ring 3l which is positioned about the fitting 35 below the end of the coupling member 35. Anti-friction bearing elements 38 are interposed between these two so as to provide for free rotation of the ring 37 with respect to the tubing 4.

The fitting 36 below the ring 31 is threaded with threads of a larger diameter than those at its upper end for the purpose of receiving a retaining ring 39 having a groove in its outer surface within which is disposed a packing 4E). It is noted that the upper end of this retaining ring 59 normally forms a stop to retain the ring 3T in its proper position with respect to the lower end of the coupling member 35. The lower end of the member 39 is provided with a downwardly extending skirt portion 4I spaced from the fitting 36 and opposing the outwardly and upwardly extending flared portion 42 of this fitting. Between the skirt portion 4I and the flared portion 42 there are loosely retained the lugs 43 on the upn per ends of the expanding dogs 44. The lower end of the tting 36 is provided with a third exteriorly threaded portion to receive a nut 45 formed with an inclined upper end portion so that when it is screwed up on the tting 35 it will contact the lower ends of the expanding dogs 44 and force them radially outwardly. The nut 45 is prevented from being screwed 01T the lower end of the fitting 36 by means of a locking nut 46 held in place by locking pin or other desirable means.

Screwed into the upper end of the fitting II above the member 3 I is the lower end of the screen pipe 4l through which the production of the well is adapted to enter aiterthe well is completed. This screen, as hereinbefore stated, extends through the producing formation andat its upper end' maybe provided with unperforated pipe and. linersuch as indicatedby v the; numeral 48.

Atthe upperend of` the pipe 48. there isI secured tothis; pipe-a special packer apparatus, ak special fitting 48, being provided for'attachment tothe upper end ofthe-pipe 48. The wallsof-the fitting 48 are off-set outwardly, andat the upper end thereof this fitting is.A connected. to a second special fitting 49. Just above theupper end of the fitting 48 the fitting 49is recessed interiorly to receive the'slips, 58v and above this position the member: is recessed on its outer surface to receive the lower end of the packer. The upper end ofthe fittingy 49 is tapered 01T as shown at 5I, this portion lyingwithin andbeing surrounded by one of the packingelements.

Slidably mounted withinthe tting 49 and the upper end ofthe pipe-48` is. a third special tting 52'. The-slips 58 previously referred to are so arranged as-to permit downward slidingymovement of the tting 52, but to prevent .upwardsliding movement thereof with respect to the-fitting 49. When the device is being lowered into the 3 well these two fittings 49 and 52 are secured in a predetermined position with respect to each other by means of shear pins 53. Adjacent its upperend, the fitting 52 is provided with an outwardly extending flange vforming a downwardly facing shoulder which, when in the position illustrated in Fig. 4 before the shear pins 53 have been sheared oif, is located a. considerable distance above the upper end of the fitting 49. Between the shoulders provided by these two fittings there is wrapped a packer element 54 consisting usually of layers of canvas or similar material bound in place onto the respective elements at its opposite ends by means of bands 5.5. This packer is adapted to form the seal between the liner 48 and the interior of the lower end ofl the casing.

Seated upon the upper face of the outwardly extending ange of the tting 52 is a third special tting 56 secured to the fitting 52 by means of shear pins 5l. Seated on the upper end of the :fitting 52 and in a slightly recessed portion of the tting 56 is a second packing element 58,. Above this element and within the fitting 58 is the expanding member 59 about which are pro,- vided slips 68. These slips are so arranged as to permit downward movement of this expanding element 59 but to prevent upward movement thereof with respect to fitting 5,6. The upper end of the expanding member 5,9 is threaded into the lower end of the fitting 6I, which in turn iits with- Y in the upper end of the fitting 56, and is secured therein by means of shear pins 62.

The fitting 6I is threadedly connected at its upper end to the end member 83 of the packer assembly, the fitting Si and the member 63 being recessed on their inner surfaces to receive the slips 84. The slips 84 are seated in a downwardly tapered portion 65 of the recess in the member 6I and are downwardly pressed by means of a spring 86.

interposed in that portion of the tubing 4 which passes through the packer assembly just described is a section of enlarged external diameter indicated by the numeral 6l, and provided with a very smooth or polished exterior. Adjacent the lower end of this portion 51 is an outwardly extending ring 68 illustrated in detail in Fig. l0. This ring provides an upwardly facing shoulder and ts fairly snugly within the fitting 52. It is provided with notches or grooves about its exterior surface at intervals for the purpose o f permitting.. movement; of u fluid past thering during the movement .ofA the; tubing with', respect, te the packer a ssembly.-

In; operationthe casing I; is set in` the-ordinary manner and the hole is drilled intotheV producing formation;4 The tubing is-then lowered intoA the wellv with the lowerY end f thereof secured to` the interiorofthe set shoe as illustrated in rl-igV 3,of the drawings. The screenv pipev4fIl and the packer assembly-abovedescribed. are mountedy on thei set shoe in the. manner illustrated. When the setshoe hasreached. the bottom of the well, the well may be washed by pumping uid downwardly;throughthe tub-y ing andfthrough, theopen-illgs 24 andv 25 in thevalve within the set shoe, these openings-being so-positioned asy to register` with each other b efore the tubing is lowered into, the well'. The wash which is thus forced downwardly. through` the tubing will force-the valve I4 open and pass out through the openings- 'i in the bottc-rnlof` the set shoe.

After the( well has been suiicientlywaslredV outside of the screen 4l, the tubing willbe rotated to the right to; cause the nut4 45, which is threaded ontothe fitting; 36 by a left hand thread, to move downwardly with? respect to this fitting. It will be notedF at this point that the ring 311 is,` seated upon the upper endofv the sleeve-like portion 3 2 and will serve. to support such portion of the weight of the. tubi-ng as is allowed to rest thereupon. Leakage betweenthe lower end of the fitting 3 5. and the set shoe.V isv preventedV by means of the packing 48 which seals against theinterior of the sleeve-like member 32. The nut 45. is prevented from rotation by meansk of lugs 45 formed onl its exterior s urface and engaging with the stop element 34. As the nut 4.5 is moved downwardly by rotation of the tubing to the right,nit will be seen that it will move away 'from the lower ends ot the suspended dogs 44, and will allow these dogs to fall inwardly and away from the shoulder 33.. When the nut 45 has moved downwardly by a. predetermined' amount the lugs` 45 will be disengaged from the stop members 34 but will have moved into engagement with the lugs 2 9 in the element 2| of the valve. Further rotation Will cause the element 2I torotate with respect to the element I9 of the valve and move the opening 25 out of register with the opening 24v, thus closing the valve. When the element 2l has been moved sufficiently, the stop 28 thereon wil-l contact with the stop lug 2l' on the. element I9, and the operator at the top of the well will be informed, both by the resistance to further rotation of the tubing and by the increased back pressure against the operation of the Vpumps and the consequent stopping or stalling thereof, that the valve is properly closed.

It will now be seen that the tubing may be lifted and that it will not be found to be connected with the s et shoe and the screen because of the fact that the expanding dogs have moved inwardly and can pass upwardly through the sleeve-like portion 32. The tubing is then raised a distance equivalent to the amount which it is desired for it to hang above the lower end. of the screen, plus the estimated amount which the packer elements 5,4 and 58 will be compressed in forming their respective seals. This distance can be very accurately determined from data available from previous experience. It will be noted that this upward movement of the tube its is permitted through the packer assembly because the slips 64Y are so positioned as to permit upward movement and prevent downward movement of the tubing through this assembly.

After the tubinghas been raised the desired amount it is then again lowered. At this point, however, the slips B4 will grip the tubing, and further loweringY of the tubing will cause the weight of the tubing to be placed uponthe fitting 8l and the expanding element 59. The shear pins 62 will by the weight of the tubing be sheared off and the element 59 will be moved downwardly with respect to the iittings 56 and 52 so as to expand the packer element 58 and form a seal between the member '61 on the tubing and the tting 56 which is connected to the well liner.

The weight of the tubing will also, as the packing 58 is expanded and becomes more solid, be transmitted to the ttingr52, thus causing the severance of the shear pins 53 and permitting the iitting 52 to move downwardly with respect to the fitting 49. It will readily be seen that this movement will cause the expansion of the packer element 54 so as to form a seal between the well liner and the interior of the lower end of the casing. Itis to be noted that the expanding element 59 is prevented from upward sliding movement with respect to the iitting 5E by means of the slips 60 and that the packer element 58 will thus be held in expanded position. Likewise, the fitting 52 will be prevented from upward movement with respect to the tting 49, and the packer element 54 will thus v be held in expanded position. After the packer elements have thus been set or expanded to form the desired seals, the tubing may be hung and the well completed in any well known and desirable manner.

After a well has been producing for some time, or even in some instances before it has produced to any substantial extent, it is desired to withdraw the tubing from the well, and even to withdraw the screen and'liner in order to carry out some operation which will improve the production of the well. With this invention, when such is desired the tubing is simply pulled upwardly, and since the member 6l is a smooth and polished member, the tubing may slide upwardly through the packing 58 which is shown in its expanded position in Fig. 2. However, when the ring 68 comes in contact with the lower end of the packing 58, it will stop further sliding movement of the tubing with respect to this packer element, and will cause the pull being exerted on the tubing to be exerted directly against the fitting 5S through the expander element 59 and the slips 60, This will cause the shearing of the shear pins 5T, and the tubing may then be withdrawn from the well, together with the upper portion of the packing assembly. It will be noted that in carrying out this operation, no portion of the packing assembly has been damaged in any way, the severance being accomplished by the breaking of the shear pins provided for that purpose.

If now it be found desirable to also remove the screen, liner and set shoe, a cutting tool may be lowered past the packer element 54 and the liner severed therebelo-w. This packer element 54 may then be forced upwardly and out of the well. With the packer element 54 and its related elements out of the'way, a tubing may again` be lowered and caused to engage with the shoe at the lower end of the `screen by reversing the may then be easily removed from the well.

It will be understood that in some instancesv it may be possible tof remove the packer element 54 by simply pulling upwardly on the set shoe at the bottom of the screen and liner, thus removing the packer element, the screen and the liner in one continuous operation.

It will further be appreciated that there may be other variations in the method, as well as in the details of construction of the apparatus, and the combination of the various parts without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention. Y

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a means has been provided for carrying out all the objects and advantages sought by this invention.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. In a well packer combination, an outer packer adapted to be expanded outwardly against the interior of a conduit, an inner packer initially out of contact with and adapted to be expanded inwardly against the exterior of a second conduit, and means 'for expanding both of said packers by manipulation of said last mentioned conduit.

2. In a well packer combination, an outer packer adapted to be expanded outwardly against the interior of a conduit, aninner packer adapted to be'expanded inwardly against the exterior of a second conduit, means for locking said packers in expanded position, and means on said last mentioned conduit for removing said inner packer in expanded condition.

3. In a well packer combination, an outer packer adapted to be expanded outwardly against the interior of a conduit, and inner packer initially out of contact with and adapted to be -expanded inwardly against the exterior of a second conduit, and means on said last mentioned conduit for removing said inner packer after the same has been expanded.

4. In a well packer combination, an outwardly expansible packer, an inwardly expansible packer, means detachably securing said packers together, and means for removing one-of said packers from the well independently of the other.

5. In a well packer combination, an outwardly expansible packer, an inwardly expansible packer, frangible means securing said packers together, and means for fracturing said frangible means and removing one of said packers from the other after the same have been expanded.

6.Y In a well packer combination, an outwardly expansible packer, an inwardly expansible packer, frangible means for holding said packers in unexpanded position, means for fracturing said frangible means and expanding said packers, frangible means securing said packers together, and means for preventing the fracture of said last mentioned frangible means during the fracturing of said first mentioned rangible means and the expansion of said packers.

'7. In a well packer combination, an outwardly expansible packer, an inwardly expansible packer, frangible means for holding said packers in unexpanded position, means for fracturing said frangible means and expanding said packers, frangible means securing said packers together, means for preventing the fracture of said last mentioned frangible means during the fracturing 0I" said first mentioned frangible means and the expansion of said packers, and means for fracturing said last mentioned frangible means and separating said packers after the same have been expanded. Y Y

8. In a well packer combination, an outwardly expansible packer, an inwardly expansible packer, said packers being in sealing engagement with each other and means joining said packers together for ready detachment from each other.

9. In a packer combination, an outwardly eX- pansible packer, an inwardly expansible packer, and frangible means joining said packers together. l

10. In a packer combination, an outwardly eX- pansible packer, an inwardly expansible packer, and an abutment means interposed between and common to said packers, whereby compressive force exerted upon one of said packers to expand the same laterally will be transmitted through said abutment to the other packer tol expand it also.

l1. In a packer combination, an outwardly eX- pansible packer, an inwardly expansible packer, and an abutment means interposed between and common to said packers, whereby compressive force exerted upon one of said packers to expand the same laterally will be transmitted through said abutment to the other packer to expand it also, said abutment means comprising two relatively movable parts and a frangible connection securing said parts together.

CICERO C. BROWN. 

